Device for sorting coins

Abstract

A device ( 10 ) for sorting coins ( 31 ) has at least first and second receiving containers ( 20 ) for receiving coins ( 31 ) and a separating unit ( 14 ). Further, a transport unit ( 18 ) for transporting coins ( 31 ) to the receiving containers ( 20 ) is provided and has a first transport section ( 52 ) arranged between the separating unit ( 16 ) and the first transport container ( 20 ). The transport unit ( 18 ) also has a second transport section ( 54 ) between the first receiving container ( 20 ) and the second receiving container ( 20 ). A first sensor ( 62 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) is arranged in the first transport section ( 52 ) and a second sensor ( 64 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) is arranged in the second transport section ( 54 ). A control unit ( 24 ) determines the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to the first receiving container ( 20 ) dependent on the information obtained from the first sensor ( 62 ) and from the second sensor ( 64 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for sorting coins, comprising:
 a separating unit ( 14 ) for separating the coins ( 31 ), 
 a checking unit ( 16 ) for determining denominations of the separated coins ( 31 ), 
 a first and at least a second receiving container ( 20 ) for receiving the coins ( 31 ) that have passed the checking unit, 
 a transport unit ( 18 ) for transporting the coins ( 31 ) from the separating unit ( 14 ) to the first receiving container ( 20 ) arranged downstream of the separating unit ( 14 ) and the second receiving container ( 20 ) arranged downstream of the first receiving container ( 20 ), wherein the transport unit ( 18 ) has a first transport section ( 52 ) between the separating unit ( 14 ) and the first transport container ( 20 ) and along which both the coins to be fed to the first receiving container ( 20 ) and to the second receiving container ( 20 ) are transported, and a second transport section ( 54 ) between the first transport container ( 20 ) and the second transport container ( 20 ) and along which only the coins not fed to the first transport container ( 20 ) are transported, 
 a first sensor ( 62 ) in the first transport section ( 52 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) transported along the first transport section ( 52 ), 
 a second sensor ( 64 ) in the second transport section ( 54 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) transported along the second transport section ( 54 ), and 
 a control unit ( 24 ) that determines on the basis of the denominations determined by the checking unit ( 16 ) for each receiving container ( 20 ) a target value of the coins ( 31 ) to be fed thereto, and that, dependent on the information obtained from the first sensor ( 62 ) and from the second sensor ( 64 ), determines the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to the first receiving container ( 20 ) and that then compares for each of the receiving containers ( 20 ), the number of fed coins ( 31 ) determined by the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) to the corresponding target value. 
 
     
     
       2. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) determines the number of coins ( 31 ) transported along the first transport section ( 52 ) as detected by the first sensor ( 62 ), the control unit ( 24 ) determines the number of coins transported along the second transport section ( 54 ) as detected by the second sensor ( 64 ), and the control unit ( 24 ) determines the number the coins fed to the first receiving container ( 20 ) by subtracting the number of coins transported along the second transport section ( 54 ) from the number of coins ( 31 ) transported along the first transport section ( 52 ). 
     
     
       3. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , further comprising at least a third receiving container ( 20 ) for receiving coins ( 31 ), the transport section ( 52  to  60 ) of the transport unit ( 18 ) has one of the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) between all of the successively arranged receiving containers for detecting coins ( 31 ). 
     
     
       4. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 3 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) determines the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to one of the receiving containers ( 20 ) by subtracting the number of coins ( 31 ) determined by the sensor ( 62  to  70 ) arranged immediately after the respective receiving container ( 20 ) from the number of coins ( 31 ) determined by the sensor ( 62  to  70 ) arranged immediately before the respective receiving container ( 20 ). 
     
     
       5. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) defines as the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to the last receiving container ( 20 ), as viewed in transport direction (P 1 ) of the coins ( 31 ), the number of coins ( 31 ) being determined by the sensor ( 70 ) arranged immediately before the last receiving container ( 20 ). 
     
     
       6. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) comprises at least one of a light barrier, an ultrasound sensor, a capacitive sensor and an inductive sensor. 
     
     
       7. A device ( 10 ) for sorting coins, comprising:
 a first and at least a second receiving container ( 20 ) for receiving the coins ( 31 ), 
 a separating unit ( 14 ) for separating the coins ( 31 ), and 
 a transport unit ( 18 ) for transporting the coins ( 31 ) from the separating unit ( 14 ) to the first receiving container ( 20 ) arranged downstream of the separating unit ( 14 ) and the second receiving container ( 20 ) arranged downstream of the first receiving container ( 20 ), wherein the transport unit ( 18 ) has a first transport section ( 52 ) between the separating unit ( 14 ) and the first transport container ( 20 ) and along which both the coins to be fed to the first receiving container ( 20 ) and to the second receiving container ( 20 ) are transported, and a second transport section ( 54 ) between the first transport container ( 20 ) and the second transport container ( 20 ) and along which only the coins not fed to the first transport container ( 20 ) are transported, 
 a first sensor ( 62 ) in the first transport section ( 52 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) transported along the first transport section ( 52 ), 
 a second sensor ( 64 ) in the second transport section ( 54 ) for detecting coins ( 31 ) transported along the second transport section ( 54 ), 
 a control unit ( 24 ) that, dependent on the information obtained from the first sensor ( 62 ) and from the second sensor ( 64 ), determines the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to the first receiving container ( 20 ), and 
 an output unit for outputting information, and that the control unit ( 24 ), when it has determined an incorrect feeding of at least one coin ( 31 ) to a receiving container ( 20 ), controls the output unit to output an information thereon to an operator. 
 
     
     
       8. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 7 , further comprising at least a third receiving container ( 20 ) for receiving coins ( 31 ), the transport section ( 52  to  60 ) of the transport unit ( 18 ) has one of the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) between all of the successively arranged receiving containers for detecting coins ( 31 ). 
     
     
       9. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 7 , further comprising a checking unit ( 16 ) for determining denominations of fed coins ( 31 ), and the control unit ( 24 ) determines on the basis of the determined denominations for each receiving container ( 20 ) a target value of the coins ( 31 ) to be fed thereto as planned. 
     
     
       10. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) compares for at least one receiving container ( 20 ), the number of fed coins ( 31 ) determined by means of the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) to the corresponding target value. 
     
     
       11. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) compares the number of fed coins ( 31 ) determined by the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) to the corresponding target value each time after the feeding of each coin ( 31 ), after the feeding of a predetermined number of coins ( 31 ) and/or after the feeding of all coins ( 31 ) fed to the device ( 10 ) as a quantity of coins. 
     
     
       12. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 10 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) determines, dependent on the result of the comparison or the results of the comparisons, in which receiving container ( 20 ) at least one non-assigned coin ( 31 ) has been received. 
     
     
       13. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) does not use receiving containers ( 20 ) in which at least one non-assigned coin ( 31 ) has been received for the output of coins ( 31 ) via an output unit ( 22 ). 
     
     
       14. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 11 , characterized in that the control unit ( 24 ) does not use receiving containers ( 20 ) in which the number of fed coins ( 31 ) determined by means of the sensors ( 62  to  70 ) deviates from the corresponding target value for the output of coins ( 31 ) via an output unit ( 22 ). 
     
     
       15. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the transport unit ( 18 ) has a support surface ( 30 ) on which the coins ( 31 ) rest during transport, holes ( 32  to  40 ) being provided in the support surface ( 30 ) one of the receiving containers ( 20 ) being arranged under each of the holes ( 32  to  40 ). 
     
     
       16. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , further comprising
 an output unit for outputting information, and that the control unit ( 24 ), when it has determined an incorrect feeding of at least one coin ( 31 ) to a receiving container ( 20 ), controls the output unit to outputs an information thereon to an operator. 
 
     
     
       17. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 8 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) determines the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to one of the receiving containers ( 20 ) by subtracting the number of coins ( 31 ) determined by the sensor ( 62  to  70 ) arranged immediately after the respective receiving container ( 20 ) from the number of coins ( 31 ) determined by the sensor ( 62  to  70 ) arranged immediately before the respective receiving container ( 20 ). 
     
     
       18. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit ( 24 ) defines as the number of coins ( 31 ) fed to the last receiving container ( 20 ), as viewed in transport direction (P 1 ) of the coins ( 31 ), the number of coins ( 31 ) being determined by the sensor ( 70 ) arranged immediately before the last receiving container ( 20 ). 
     
     
       19. The device ( 10 ) of  claim 15 , wherein the holes ( 32  to  40 ) increase in size from hole to hole as viewed in transport direction (P 1 ).